How to Get VMware running on an HP DL380 G8

At my day job we are experimenting more and more with server virtualization. We have been playing with VMware as our platform. We currently run one physical server (host) with 6 different virturalized servers.

The first step in the process was to download the latest and greatest currently at VMware ESXi 5.1. I download it and its in the form of an ISO. Not a big deal I have a utility to burn it to DVD and make it bootable for install. Whoops the new DL380 doesn’t have a CD/DVD drive.

I find a tool on line called Linux Live USB Creator. It works great to create a bootable USB device using Linux. The tool allows you to include your ISO to start as well. The tool worked flawlessly. However I discovered that the VMware ISO I had was missing some HP Drivers.

I quickly searched the VMware site and found the HP specific ISO. Unfortunately the links for the HP stuff were broken.

Another quick search and I found another tool to create a HP specific ISO. The tool is the ESXI Customizer. It requires the installation of the VMware vSphere PowerCLI.